Red Sox Beat Dodgers In World Record Attendance

By Bryan Jeon

Saturday night’s exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers was held at the L.A. Coliseum in commemoration of the Dodgers’ 50th year anniversary since their move from Brooklyn. All 115,300 seats were sold, breaking the previous record of about 114,000 during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. (Vin Scully, who was calling the game, advised the viewers that there was an Olympic event at the stadium right after the baseball game and that fans poured in early, setting the then-record attendance in the later innings. Scully moved with the Dodgers from Brooklyn in 1958.)

The Coliseum, which was built for track and football and not baseball, vastly changed the dynamics of the game. In 1958, the left-field foul pole was 251 feet with a 42-foot screen while for this game, it was set at just 201 feet with a 60-foot screen. (In comparison, the Green Monster at Fenway Park is about 310 feet from home with a 37-foot wall.) Meanwhile, right field was the exact opposite, standing almost 500 feet from home plate. This had Andruw Jones, the Dodgers’ center fielder, standing just behind second base to provide them with a fifth infielder and Jason Varitek before the start of the game to joke, “Dodgers 85, Red Sox 81.”

The Red Sox won 7-4 with each team hitting two home runs. They jumped out to a 7-1 lead after Tim Wakefield outpitched Esteban Loaiza and to show some ethnic but unbiased loyalty, I will say that Chan Ho Park, who is fighting to be on the 25-man roster for the Dodgers, showed mostly great control in the 2 and 2/3 innings pitched in relief of Loaiza, striking out four despite giving up 2 runs. I personally feel that he should be on as the fifth starter over Loaiza, who had a 5.79 ERA in 7 starts last year, or as a reliever over Jon Meloan, if Meloan makes the roster. Last year, Meloan had an 11.05 ERA in 5 games pitched.

But back to the game, it was just an amazing view to see a sea of people and the awkwardness of the field length. And to think, the Dodgers played their home games at the Coliseum for four years before moving to Dodger Stadium in 1962.

BJ’s Blog

Jason Whitlock Is An Idiot

Does anyone read Jason Whitlock’s (FOXsports.com) articles? His latest shock writing with the sole purpose to incite reactions toward black issues that he brings up is about the LeBron-Gisele cover on Vogue. I mean, no one thinks a thing of LeBron James embracing his position with Gisele Bundchen. It is viewed as a great basketball player partnered with a beautiful supermodel – period. Yet, Whitlock again doesn’t fail to make an issue out of nothing, claiming it to be offensive, as a black, dangerous-looking felon next to a white, innocent beauty. Give me a break Whitlock, your attempts in digging at the dirt are way over the top, and this is not “thought-provoking style” you self-proclaim. Do me a favor guys and don’t read his crap. He can’t produce worthy commentary so he plays the race card time and time again. Get over yourself, man. We don’t think anything negative about every black man, and my money says no one has issues with LeBron because of his race.

Ink Me

Perhaps commissioner David Stern needs to look beyond the dress code to improve the NBA’s image because the prevalence of tattoos is out of control. I don’t have a problem with it, but it is hard to miss when you’re watching an NBA game. I mean, the Denver Nuggets look like they just came to the game in time from the tattoo parlor. The top 5 scorers in the NBA all brandish a tattoo. So forget the baggy shorts, the current fad might need to be put out with a coat, or more literally, some of those ridiculous-looking long-sleeves that Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson wear, except on both arms.

Asian Anal Issues

First, Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui. The lesser-known Matsui went on the disabled list last week because of anal fissures. A quick definition search of an anal fissure gave me “an unnatural crack or tear in the anus skin.” Let me give you some advice, skip the images. I’m surprised Kaz can even get out of bed, or even wants to. Now, Dodgers closer Takashi Saito. The Dodgers are worried Saito won’t be ready for opening day, as he’s behind in his work due to a tightening in his left buttock that kept him out. Really, I’m curious to know what these Japanese players are doing to get these rear injuries. I think we all deserve an explanation. Or maybe not. Oh, we’re watching you, Ichiro.

Lakers’ Woes

On a serious note, you Lakers fans have got to be worrying about them playing their starters through quasi-serious injuries. We all know about Bryant’s finger injury and now, they’re pushing Derek Fisher to play through the pain. If you haven’t heard, Fisher has a partial tear of a tendon in his right foot, an injury that typically requires 6-8 weeks of rest. Instead, he plans to just decrease his playing time by a few minutes per game. I’m surprised they’re not forcing Pau Gasol out there with his ankle sprain. It’s only a matter of time before we find out if these moves are going to come back to haunt them in the playoffs. But really, quit your whining because my fantasy team is in a world of hurt while battling for first place.

Davison Scores 200-Foot Goal

By Bryan Jeon

On March 18, the Islanders’ Rob Davison was working the penalty kill in the first period and just wanted to clear the puck out. After several hops, the puck skipped by the glove of Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala for a 200-foot goal and ruined what easily could have been a shutout for Toskala, as the Maple Leafs won 3-1.

Although Toskala should have put his body in front of the puck, it was a pretty amazing feat. But does it measure up to David Beckham’s famous goal as a member of Manchester United, which was hit from the halfway line (at least 50 yards out)?

The NBA’s Best Point Guards

By Chris Le

(Original post on 11/19/07)

Once regarded as floor-generals appointed with the task of setting-up teammates, the role of the point guard has evolved quite a bit over the years, from running an offense into being the offense in and of itself. The likes of Gilbert Arenas and Tony Parker won’t conjure images of John Stockton nor will their assist numbers blow you away, but their ability to put the ball in the hoop is just as dangerous as their passing skills. Whether you favor the tradition point guard or today’s new breed of scorers, there’s no stressing their importance to a team—just ask the Lakers.

1. Steve Nash – Ever since joining the Phoenix Suns in 2004, Nash has performed as well as the point position can be played. The level of his play has been so prolific that it has, in fact, led me—a long time Nash-hater—to sing his praises. There’s simply no denying his skills. His creativity with the ball is unparalleled, and there’s possibly no better shooter in the game. Steve Nash is, until further notice, the best point in the league. However, how many more years does he have in him?

2. Jason Kidd – Speaking of father time, how long will the New Jersey Nets superstar fight off the signs of age? Judging from Kidd’s previous season (13.0 ppg, 9.2 apg, 8.2 rpg) and his dominant FIBA play this past summer, he’s got more than a few great years in him. On par with Nash passing-wise, his scoring ability leaves much to be desired, but that’s been a nonissue for years as he’s so damn good at everything else. Kidd remains a nightly triple-double threat, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better defensive point man.
3. Gilbert Arenas – Unquestionably, the most fear-inspiring scoring point today. While averaging 28.4 a night in 2007, Arenas reinforced two notions: (1) That he can drop 50 on any given night, and (2) that he has a trigger-finger itchier than a prostitute’s crotch. Arenas threw up 20.9 attempts per game last season, third behind only Kobe Bryant (22.8) and Carmelo Anthony (22.4), while shooting .418 from the field (that’s good enough for 106^th in the league). Bad shot selection or not, however, defend him loosely at your peril.
4. Tony Parker – I was tempted to leap-frog the San Antonio point guard over Arenas, but after a few moments of thought, I came to the conclusion that Parker has Tim Duncan on his side to open up lanes, and Arenas doesn’t. But don’t credit all (just most) of the Spurs’ success to Timmy; Parker stepped up his game big time in the postseason with 20.8 ppg and 5.8 apg, rightfully earning him the Finals MVP. If his jump shot continues to improve as it did in 2007, he will truly be unstoppable.
5. Baron Davis – In the postseason, the Golden State Warriors showed the world exactly what kind of chaos they are capable of, and Baron Davis led the way with 25.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.5 rpg. Thanks to Don Nelson’s system and Davis running the helm, expect more of the high-octane insanity we all witnessed last year. Oh yeah, and expect more of this.
6. Chauncey Billups – It was only a couple seasons ago that Billups was thought of as one of the top three point guards in the league, alongside Nash and Kidd. The more I think about his situation, however, the more I think it’s the Pistons’ system and their collection of talent—and not Billups’ play—that has achieved so much success for Detroit. But then again, you can credit Billups for playing so well within the system, and he’s still clutch in crunch time, difficult to defend one-on-one and a strong defensive deterrent.
7. Allen Iverson – It’s hard to imagine that Iverson, who averaged 26.3 ppg (most of which alongside ‘Melo, a 30 point threat himself) and 7.2 apg, to be ranked this low. But it’s just that the combination of AI and Carmelo, which was so highly anticipated and hyped, sort of fell on its face. Rightfully or not, I was expecting fireworks, something along the lines of what the Golden State Warriors became. Give him the benefit of the doubt, though, and one more year to acclimate to his teammates. I still think he’s a huge scoring threat, possibly on par with Arenas, so I’m not counting him—or the Nuggets—out just yet.
8. Deron Williams – The 2006-2007 season, particularly the playoffs, was Williams’ coming out party (19.2 ppg, 8.6 apg). He ran the offense with poise beyond his years and was extremely difficult to defend, even against the vaunted Spurs defense in last year’s Western Conference Finals. If he continues his exponential growth, I’ll have to make room at the top for next year’s list.
9. Chris Paul – CP3 slightly improved on his incredible rookie season, one in which he made people reminisce of Isiah Thomas, but it wasn’t as significant of an advancement as some wanted. But that was partially due to injuries. Only time will tell if the young stud can find his way back onto the path that looked to be heading towards superstardom.
10. Kirk Hinrich – Is it just me or is Kirk Hinrich slowly becoming underrated? Snicker at his less than stellar athleticism and far from spectacular numbers (16.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.4 rpg), but his stats severely belie his true worth as a player. He’s one of the hardest-fighting players in the game and feisty as all hell, with a respectable shot and handles. Not to mention he’s a tenacious defender, evidenced by his 2^nd Team All-Defense nomination.

Lakers Bounce Back Against Golden State

By Bryan Jeon

The Lakers blew a 9-point lead with 90 seconds left in regulation and had to come from behind in overtime to beat the Warriors Monday 123-119. Lamar Odom finished with 23 points and 21 rebounds, becoming the first Laker since Vlade Divac in 1995 to have back-to-back 20-rebound games.
The Lakers hold the second seed in the Western Conference behind the New Orleans Hornets, and I feel my job is done here. With Pau Gasol reportedly set to return as early as Wednesday against Charlotte, the Lakers are in pretty good shape with 11 games remaining in the regular season. Now how about them Mavs?

Results (with current conference rank in parenthesis):

3/11 Toronto (6) – W 117-108
3/14 @ New Orleans (1) – L 108-98
3/16 @ Houston (3) – L 104-92
3/18 @ Dallas (7) – W 102-100
3/20 @ Utah (4) – W 106-95
3/21 Seattle (15) – W 130-105
3/23 Golden State (8) – L 115-111
3/24 @ Golden State (8) – W 123-119 OT

Rockets Lose Third In Four Games

By Bryan Jeon

The Rockets dropped their third game in four contests, losing to the Suns 122-113 on Saturday. Tracy McGrady scored 30 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 9 assists, but the Suns put up 74-first half points on 57% FG shooting for the game.

With the loss, the Rockets fell to the fifth seed in the Western Conference, although they’re just 1.5 games back of the first place-Lakers.

(Note: The other top five teams with all-time winning streaks in the NBA all won championships in their respective year.)

Su.: LAL (1) – W 104-92
T.: Bos (1) – L 94-74
W.: @ NO (2) – L 90-69
F.: @ GS (8) – W 109-106
S.: @ Pho (5) – L 122-113

Tournament Thoughts

By Chris Le

Almost everyone, even the most avid of NBA and NFL fans, agrees that March Madness never fails to entertain and is undoubtedly the king of all postseasons. It’s only in this one-and-done tournament that Cinderellas are expected, where the Davids of the basketball world have their best chance of slaying Goliath. Because it’s not about being the best team, it’s about being the better team in one particular game on one specific night. And as the saying goes, anyone can be beaten on any given day. But ironically, this inherent systematic flaw of not (always) determining the finest team also happens to be its greatest appeal.

Here are some specific thoughts on this year’s Madness…

The Weak Field: It’s nice to see the traditional powers at the top again, but they aren’t quite what they used to be in their heyday. The number one ranking has exchanged hands at least five times this season, and there doesn’t appear to be a large gap between the top seeds and the rest of the field. This year’s tournament is clearly absent of a truly dominant, potentially great team in the bunch like a ’07 Florida or ’01 Duke.

The Toughest Region: Most people see the road through Charlotte in the East as the most grueling; and I’ll agree with those who think it’s the most stocked, from 1 through 16. The Midwest isn’t too far behind either. But I’m taking the South because its top 4 seeds (Memphis, Texas, Stanford, and a scorching Pittsburgh) trump those of any other region. Plus, (6) Marquette and (10) Saint Mary’s might be undervalued with their seedings.

The Easiest Region: Without question, the Western Region is the easiest to navigate. UCLA, which spearheads this group, is clearly a force, but everyone else is miles behind, with Duke and Xavier as possibly the weakest 2- and 3-seeds, respectively, in the entire tournament. UConn, with 7’3” Hasheem Thabeet, may be the Bruins’ only high hurdle in their path to the Final Four.

Upset Alert

I got four first round upsets to look out for:

(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga in a Midwest match up that could be the best opening round game in the tourney. This is an even match, as I see Davidson being under-ranked at 10. Remember, they played Duke, UNC, and UCLA pretty close early in the season despite losing.

(12) Temple over (5) Michigan State in the South. Michigan State is overrated, and I’ve seen too many cold nights by Drew Neitzel to fully trust them. Plus, a 12-seed over a 5-seed is almost expected nowadays.

(10) Saint Mary’s over (7) Miami in the South. This might be a case of one team getting a higher seed because it plays in a power conference and the other team is punished because it plays in the WCC. This is a toss-up game really.

(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia in the West. Everyone is on the Mountaineers’ jock, and almost as many people are questioning Arizona even being in the tournament. But I’m expecting Chase Budinger and Jerryd Bayless, the Wildcats’ guard who has been as good as any freshman not named Michael Beasley and Kevin Love, to bring their A-games.

The rest of the brackets should go as expected, higher seeds winning…except: Texas over Memphis in the Southern Elite Eight and Tennessee over UNC in the East. And I was close to picking Pittsburgh over Memphis. I have a gut feeling about that one, though my head eventually won out, so I’m still going with Memphis.

Sweet 16

UNC def. Washington State

Tennessee def. Louisville

Kansas def. Clemson

Georgetown def. USC

Memphis def. Pittsburgh

Texas def. Stanford

UCLA def. UConn

Duke def. Xavier

Elite Eight

Tennessee def. UNC

Kansas def. Georgetown

Texas def. Memphis

UCLA def. Duke

Final Four

Kansas def. Tennessee

UCLA def. Texas

National Championship

UCLA def. Kansas

Peter Beats Maskaev; Vitali Awaiting

By Bryan Jeon

Tim Smith, boxing columnist for the New York Daily News, wrote an emphatic article on Samuel Peter’s victory over WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. Peter stopped Maskaev standing with a flurry of punches in the sixth round in one of those fights where someone had to win.

Before Peter gets hailed as a savior of the flailing heavyweight division, let me tell you what he accomplished Saturday night. He beat a 39-year-old fighter who had his first title defense after a 15-month layoff. Maskaev was moving in slow-motion and his punches were about as crisp as stale chips.

How a boxer can be criticized for being methodical like Smith criticizes Wladimir Klitschko for his win over Sultan Ibragimov two weeks earlier is beyond me. A win is a win and frankly, watching Klitschko reserve his right hand the entire fight is more edge-of-your-seat viewing than these two overweight fighters who are nothing more than a paper champion.

Meanwhile, Vitali Klitschko gets an immediate title shot against the newly-crowned Peter after a 39-month layoff. Smith calls the opportunity undeserving, but Vitali is no hack. He was the WBC champion in 2005 before retiring with a knee injury.

Haye Moving Up To Heavyweight

David Haye stopped Enzo Maccarinelli in the second round Sunday to add a third cruiserweight title in his final fight before moving up to heavyweight. The British “Hayemaker” is known for his heavy punching power, and I look forward to him bringing his 21-1 record to make an immediate name for himself among the heavyweight’s best.